Book Review: Lindbergh of Minnesota: A Political Biography by Bruce L. Larson

BOOK REVIEWS
B r a c e L . Larson, L I N D B E R G H OF M I N N E S O T A : A POLITICAL BIO­G
R A P H Y . New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973. xix plus 363 pp.
Illustrations, appendixes, bibliography, notes, index, and foreword. $14.50.
This is the first scholarly biography of Charles A. Lindbergh, Sr., and—
unless someone secures a large group of his personal papers—there will
be little need for anyone to attempt another study. Bruce L . Larson has
done an excellent job. He has searched the manuscript collections of Yale
University, University of North Dakota, University of Virginia, Library
of Congress, and the Minnesota Historical Society; he has interviewed more
than a score of old-timers; he has looked through a raft of newspapers;
and, he has mastered the monographic literature for the period. His knowl­edge
and diligence are evident in the product of his work: a carefully
written and meticulously documented book that will please laymen and
impress scholars.
Our generation has forgotten that long before the "Lone Eagle" winged
his way across the Atlantic or spoke out in behalf of the America First
Committee his father made the name Lindbergh famous throughout the
United States. Born in Sweden and reared on the Minnesota frontier
during the Civil War, Charles A. Lindbergh knew the hardships of pio­neer
life. In fact, he earned the money for his legal education at the Uni­versity
of Michigan by shooting game birds for a Chicago restaurant own­er.
When he returned to Minnesota to practice law, Lindbergh proved an
able attorney as well as a successful banker and investor. He was a
shrewd and honest businessman.
Lindberg did not take an active interest in politics until he was more
than forty years old. He easily won election to Congress in 1906 and re­election
until 1918. He quickly identified himself as a progressive Repub­lican,
speaking out against the money trust and endorsing the programs
of Theodore Roosevelt and Robert LaFollette. Although he came to dis­agree
with William Howard Taft, he felt the President was an honest man
who had been misled. Lindbergh became nationally known primarily be­cause
of his strong views on currency and banking reform and his four­square
opposition to America's entry into World War I. Once the United
States had entered the struggle, however, he was not an opponent of wag­ing
the war; he believed that every citizen should work to sustain the na­tional
effort. Nevertheless, he believed that the war had economic roots
and that American participation was a serious mistake. Lindbergh had
always distrusted the influence of the eastern financial community. Even
before the war, he proposed numerous pieces of legislation designed to
restrict and reform banking practices. Larson makes a convincing case for
the argument that Lindbergh's testimony before congressional committees
77
dealing with finance contributed to the character of the Federal Reserve
System. Lindbergh did not feel that the system was equitable or entirely
satisfactory.
Lindbergh's persistent criticism of the money trust and his steadfast
opposition to American involvement in the European war eroded his pop­ularity.
Yet he probably could have remained in Congress if he had broken
with the progressive Republicans. Lindbergh's independence became i n ­tolerable
to orthodox Republicans and Democrats. Larson devotes the final
one-third of his book to Lindbergh's role in Minnesota politics after 1918.
His political failures and defeats are chronicled with understanding and
compassion. Larson shows clearly how Lindbergh's sincerity was misin­terpreted
and how he was denied his civil liberties by Minnesota's super-patriots.
The book does have some shortcomings. It is difficult to get a clear
picture of what is happening within the Lindbergh household. Larson is
too honest a scholar to have withheld information about the Lindberghs,
and the reader senses that he must have had very little personal and family
material at his disposal. Lindbergh cries out for some psychological inter­pretation,
but Larson cannot venture it on the basis of the evidence that
he presents. The reader always feels that Larson is on safe ground but
that the book would have been much stronger if the author had found a
richer mine of family papers. Larson recounts Lindbergh's actions, but
he cannot tell why Lindbergh made decisions or what motivated him. No
doubt Lindbergh was an introspective man, deeply troubled in his own
way about the problems of modernization in America, but the sources of
his strengths and weaknesses remain elusive. Unfortunately, the reader
learns little about Lindbergh's role in the Swedish community. Larson
hints at discussing the social bases of Lindbergh's support among the
various ethnic groups in his congressional district and in the state, but
he does not explore the issues in detail.
This may be asking too much of a fine book. Larson's treatment of
Lindbergh's views on money is excellent. His explanation of Lindbergh's
role in the progressive movement and the Nonpartisan League is also
commendable. But even more important, Larson always makes clear
what happened as well as where, when, and how it occurred. Moreover,
Larson manages to convey a sense of Lindbergh's wry humor, strange
personal warmth, and intense sincerity. Larson is fair to Lindbergh, and
his judgments are sound. After reading this book, one concludes that
an important Swedish-American politician has found a worthy biographer.
MARTIN RIDGE.
H a r r y S. B. Johnson, editor, A M E R I C A N - S W E D I S H H A N D B O O K , V O L ­U
M E 8. Rock Island, Illinois: Augustana Swedish Institute. Pp. 131. 1973.
The present edition of the A m e r i c a n - S w e d i s h H a n d b o o k , as was the case
with the seven previous incarnations, is an essential guide to the still
78

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

All rights held by the Swedish-American Historical Society. No part of this publication, except in the case of brief quotations, may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the editor and, where appropriate, the original author(s). For more information, please email the Society at info@swedishamericanhist.org

BOOK REVIEWS
B r a c e L . Larson, L I N D B E R G H OF M I N N E S O T A : A POLITICAL BIO­G
R A P H Y . New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973. xix plus 363 pp.
Illustrations, appendixes, bibliography, notes, index, and foreword. $14.50.
This is the first scholarly biography of Charles A. Lindbergh, Sr., and—
unless someone secures a large group of his personal papers—there will
be little need for anyone to attempt another study. Bruce L . Larson has
done an excellent job. He has searched the manuscript collections of Yale
University, University of North Dakota, University of Virginia, Library
of Congress, and the Minnesota Historical Society; he has interviewed more
than a score of old-timers; he has looked through a raft of newspapers;
and, he has mastered the monographic literature for the period. His knowl­edge
and diligence are evident in the product of his work: a carefully
written and meticulously documented book that will please laymen and
impress scholars.
Our generation has forgotten that long before the "Lone Eagle" winged
his way across the Atlantic or spoke out in behalf of the America First
Committee his father made the name Lindbergh famous throughout the
United States. Born in Sweden and reared on the Minnesota frontier
during the Civil War, Charles A. Lindbergh knew the hardships of pio­neer
life. In fact, he earned the money for his legal education at the Uni­versity
of Michigan by shooting game birds for a Chicago restaurant own­er.
When he returned to Minnesota to practice law, Lindbergh proved an
able attorney as well as a successful banker and investor. He was a
shrewd and honest businessman.
Lindberg did not take an active interest in politics until he was more
than forty years old. He easily won election to Congress in 1906 and re­election
until 1918. He quickly identified himself as a progressive Repub­lican,
speaking out against the money trust and endorsing the programs
of Theodore Roosevelt and Robert LaFollette. Although he came to dis­agree
with William Howard Taft, he felt the President was an honest man
who had been misled. Lindbergh became nationally known primarily be­cause
of his strong views on currency and banking reform and his four­square
opposition to America's entry into World War I. Once the United
States had entered the struggle, however, he was not an opponent of wag­ing
the war; he believed that every citizen should work to sustain the na­tional
effort. Nevertheless, he believed that the war had economic roots
and that American participation was a serious mistake. Lindbergh had
always distrusted the influence of the eastern financial community. Even
before the war, he proposed numerous pieces of legislation designed to
restrict and reform banking practices. Larson makes a convincing case for
the argument that Lindbergh's testimony before congressional committees
77
dealing with finance contributed to the character of the Federal Reserve
System. Lindbergh did not feel that the system was equitable or entirely
satisfactory.
Lindbergh's persistent criticism of the money trust and his steadfast
opposition to American involvement in the European war eroded his pop­ularity.
Yet he probably could have remained in Congress if he had broken
with the progressive Republicans. Lindbergh's independence became i n ­tolerable
to orthodox Republicans and Democrats. Larson devotes the final
one-third of his book to Lindbergh's role in Minnesota politics after 1918.
His political failures and defeats are chronicled with understanding and
compassion. Larson shows clearly how Lindbergh's sincerity was misin­terpreted
and how he was denied his civil liberties by Minnesota's super-patriots.
The book does have some shortcomings. It is difficult to get a clear
picture of what is happening within the Lindbergh household. Larson is
too honest a scholar to have withheld information about the Lindberghs,
and the reader senses that he must have had very little personal and family
material at his disposal. Lindbergh cries out for some psychological inter­pretation,
but Larson cannot venture it on the basis of the evidence that
he presents. The reader always feels that Larson is on safe ground but
that the book would have been much stronger if the author had found a
richer mine of family papers. Larson recounts Lindbergh's actions, but
he cannot tell why Lindbergh made decisions or what motivated him. No
doubt Lindbergh was an introspective man, deeply troubled in his own
way about the problems of modernization in America, but the sources of
his strengths and weaknesses remain elusive. Unfortunately, the reader
learns little about Lindbergh's role in the Swedish community. Larson
hints at discussing the social bases of Lindbergh's support among the
various ethnic groups in his congressional district and in the state, but
he does not explore the issues in detail.
This may be asking too much of a fine book. Larson's treatment of
Lindbergh's views on money is excellent. His explanation of Lindbergh's
role in the progressive movement and the Nonpartisan League is also
commendable. But even more important, Larson always makes clear
what happened as well as where, when, and how it occurred. Moreover,
Larson manages to convey a sense of Lindbergh's wry humor, strange
personal warmth, and intense sincerity. Larson is fair to Lindbergh, and
his judgments are sound. After reading this book, one concludes that
an important Swedish-American politician has found a worthy biographer.
MARTIN RIDGE.
H a r r y S. B. Johnson, editor, A M E R I C A N - S W E D I S H H A N D B O O K , V O L ­U
M E 8. Rock Island, Illinois: Augustana Swedish Institute. Pp. 131. 1973.
The present edition of the A m e r i c a n - S w e d i s h H a n d b o o k , as was the case
with the seven previous incarnations, is an essential guide to the still
78